Japan makes sake tax-free for foreigners

October 1, 2017

TOKYO- Foreign tourists now can buy sake and other alcoholic beverages tax-free at breweries and distilleries in Japan.

Launched on Sunday, the tax-free program is expected to give a further boost to already brisk exports of sake and make tours to breweries, wineries and distillers more popular among visitors to the country, industry people said.

Under the program, if a foreign tourist buys a 720-milliliter "seishu" sake bottle at a shop on the premises of a government-designated brewery where the sake was produced, the 86.4-yen liquor tax and the 8 pct consumption tax will be exempted.

Since July, the Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association has offered workshops for operators of breweries to help them get prepared for an increase in visitors from other countries.

"We are teaching English phrases to explain how to make sake and other products and what are interesting to foreign visitors," said an official of the association, adding applications for the workshops are coming from all over the country.

According to the National Tax Agency, approval for the tax exemption had been given to 48 producers in 24 of Japan's 47 prefectures as of Sunday.

"We hope we can be a nucleus to attract foreign visitors and contribute to the revitalization of our region," said an official at Koganeishuzou, a designated liquor maker in Atsugi, Kanagawa Prefecture, south of Tokyo. Jiji Press